A victim of human trafficking who blew the lid on an international crime ring has vowed to help bring them to justice despite receiving death threats.
The testimony of Sheeja Aziz led to the arrest of a female kingpin who had been running a chain of brothels in Sharjah and Dubai.
Sheeja, a 34-year-old Indian divorcee, was lured to Dubai with the promise of work as a cook. But she was forced into prostitution by a gang led by Sauda Biwi. She escaped and reported Sauda to Indian police.
Now Sheeja said relatives of the madam have been threatening her.
“They tell me they will kill me. I am really scared,” she told 7DAYS.
“Two male and two female police officers are stationed at my home all the time. Police patrols have also been stepped up.”
But she vowed to continue her fight to bring down the gang.
“I don’t want anyone else’s life to be spoiled like mine. I will keep fighting the case,” she said.
Sheeja’s brother-in-law, who played a key part in her rescue, has received threats. Sheeja escaped from a brothel in Sharjah in 2007 after community workers posed as embassy officials and forced her captors to let her go.
Sheeja returned to Kerala, India and filed a complaint with the police, who believe that Sauda was behind the
trafficking of 330 women to the UAE.
By Fareed Rahman
